Why the Left Attacks Sarah Palin

Recently, Sarah Palin has been the object of vicious and unfounded attacks from the mainstream media and the left. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, she is being linked to the tragic shooting in Arizona. Jared Loughner, the gunman from the attack, probably hates Sarah Palin. We know that he hated George W. Bush. He didn’t watch the news, he didn’t listen to political radio, he wasn’t on the right, he wasn’t on the left. There is virtually no legitimate correlation between Sarah Palin and Jared Loughner.

But all too often, there are some on the right who are quick to say that Palin is attacked because the left is afraid of her. The theory is that whoever liberals attack the most is also their most feared enemy. But why would this be the case? What threat does Sarah Palin pose to them?

The very thing that propelled Sarah Palin into the national spotlight was an unsuccessful run for Vice President. Some may contend that John McCain was the weak link in the GOP ticket, but reviews are essentially mixed as to whether or not Palin helped or hurt the chances of McCain’s candidacy.

Barely six months after Obama took office, Palin resigned as governor of Alaska. The move was arguably a poor choice politically in the sense that voters would have a tough time voting for a candidate who didn’t even finish her term as governor. But it also granted her the freedom to finish two books and become a touring conservative rock star.

What about the strength of Palin’s endorsements? Here, Palin fares slightly better. Of her 64 endorsements in 2010, 33 prevailed, 20 lost in the general election, 10 lost in the primary and one remains undecided. Not too bad. But the case could be made that most Republicans would do well in the 2010 elections regardless of any endorsements. Not to mention the fact that other figures like Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney were making similar endorsements on the trail as well. And let’s not forget that one of her major losses was in her home state of Alaska, where Republican Joe Miller lost to write-in incumbent Lisa Murkowski, whom he had defeated in the GOP primary.

So what would support the theory that the left is terrified of Sarah Palin? Certainly, she is a charismatic, attractive female conservative, which would make any liberal cringe. But do they cringe with fear or disgust?

Allow me to submit the theory that the left is simply a bully picking on an easy target. Think about it: whom do bullies pick on? Kids who are stronger than they are? Kids they are afraid of? Hardly. Now, typically bullies don’t pick on targets that fight back (like Palin does). But considering that Palin’s comebacks sometimes include dubiously contextual terms like “blood libel,” the left-wing bully machine doesn’t mind taking its chances. And the end result? Palin’s poll numbers have now reached an all-time low.

It’s not that Sarah Palin herself invites these unfair attacks. She absolutely does not deserve to be ridiculed and unfairly attacked. But her celebrity status is both a blessing and a curse. The spotlight makes her a household name and a hero to many on the right, but it also puts a, for lack of a better phrase, target on her back.

Instead of engaging the media with Facebook and Twitter, she might do better to either rise above the fray and not combat the left directly (a la George W. Bush) or engage the press directly in the form of interviews and op-ed columns. Considering the proximity of the 2012 election, now is the time for her to look polished and presidential. Essentially, she needs to make herself unappealing to the bully, while endearing herself to the American people.

If she intends the face the left with her current tactics, Palin will be just another beat-up kid in the schoolyard. Now is the time to show America that she can take the hits and get back up. Either that or she needs to take a cue from Ralph Macchio and learn karate.

Sarah Palin is an intellectual weakling. She is a conservative voice for the same reasons you are – it is easy to get attention and you might make money. It is just that she is devoid of substance. She displays no curiosity and seems proud to be ignorant of both fact and circumstance. She is famous for being famous.

As to the fear you attribute to the Left, that is wishful thinking. Oh, by the way, she is the bully.

Mike L

Tommy Mack,

The Left may not necessarily be afraid of Sarah, but she exposes you for the weak cowards that you are. You have to destroy her because she is a woman who refuses to play your game and back down to your nastiness. She is the new breed of feminists. Tough, get down and dirty with an opinion of common snese American values. She has more substance in her pinkie than you have in your overbloated cranium. It irks you to no end that she refused to abort a down syndrome child. I’m sure your wife would have aborted it if this happened to you. That’s what pisses you off. So you create strories that it’s not hers. She is not a bully. A voice of no-nonsense dissension is not being a bully–it’s called free speech and a patriot for questioning a rogue and out-of-control administration. You keep punching her in the nose, but she keeps getting back up. Why? Because she is tougher than you. You try to silence her and then you want her to apology. You can stick your apology where the sun don’t shine. You bring a swiss army knife to a fight, she brings the shotgun. That’s what pisses you off.

Arch Conservative

Tommy, how is Palin a bully?

Glenn Contrarian

Please, oh PLEASE let Palin be the Republican nominee in 2012!

NadePaulKuciGravMcKi

all israel all the time sarah palin

james

Simple… she is a conservative woman who could be president. The left fears a woman becoming president who isnt a lib…

I think it is funny how Palin is the new Bush. Blame her for everything!

As a side note, we could blame her for the high gas prices… funny how Bush and “Big Oil” got the blame for it during his era, but everyone is eerily silent now that Obama is at the grown-up table.

Baronius

Braden, nice article. I hadn’t bothered to read it based on its title, but it is pretty balanced.

http://blogcritics.org/writers/dr-dreadful/ Dr Dreadful

she is a conservative woman who could be president. The left fears a woman becoming president who isnt a lib…

Odd how some on the right will strenuously deny charges of racism when they criticize President Obama, but immediately cry sexism when the left criticizes Sarah Palin.

It makes much more sense to say that the left fears anyone becoming president who isn’t a lib.

I mean, look what happened the last time.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/author/danmiller/ Dan(Miller)

Here is an article which explains, perhaps to moderate excess, why Sarah Palin is hated so — by the “feminists.”